Isaac Trumper, Pascal Hallibert, Jonathan W. Arenberg, Hideyo Kunieda, Olivier Guyon, H. Philip Stahl, and Dae Wook Kim, "Optics technology for large-aperture space telescopes: from fabrication to final acceptance tests," Adv. Opt. Photon. 10, 644-702 (2018)
This review paper addresses topics of fabrication, testing, alignment, and as-built performance of reflective space optics for the next generation of telescopes across the x-ray to far-infrared spectrum. The technology presented in the manuscript represents the most promising methods to enable a next level of astronomical observation capabilities for space-based telescopes as motivated by the science community. While the technology to produce the proposed telescopes does not exist in its final form, the optics industry is making steady and impressive progress toward these goals across all disciplines. We hope that through sharing these developments in context of the science objectives, further connections and improvements are enabled to push the envelope of the technology.
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Overview of the X-Ray Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12–18]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Sensitivity
(0.5–2 keV, observed frame)
Survey of distant AGN
Effective area
at 1 keV,
Line spectroscopy and broadband spectrum
at 6 keV,
at 30 keV
Angular resolution
,
Detection of distant AGN mapping
10–20 arcsec
Field of view
(wide),
Black holes distribution cluster spectroscopy
(narrow)
Spectral resolution
at 6 keV,
Dynamics of cluster gas redshift of Fe line absorption line features
at 6 keV,
(0.3–1 keV)
Angle of polarization
1 deg/keV
Black hole spin
Stray light
rejection in 0.5–1.5 deg annular region
Eliminate unwanted images
Areal density
Launch vehicle
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. AGN, active galactic nuclei.
Table 2.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed X-Ray Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Optics [25–27]a
Total surface error
on-axis HEW
Figure ()
1.5 μm PV
Mid spatial (4–60 cpa)
slope errors
Roughness ()
RMS
cpa, cycles per aperture; HEW, half energy width; PV, peak to valley; RMS, root-mean-square.
Table 3.
Overview of the UVOIR Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12–18,39]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Primary aperture
Resolution, sensitivity, exoplanet yield
Wavefront error
35 nm RMS WFE
Diffraction limited at 500 nm
Wavefront stability
0.01 nm RMS over 10 min
Exposure time
Angular resolution
2.74 milliarcsec/pixel
Cosmic origins (UV)
Pointing stability
Starlight suppression
Stray light
Zodiacal dust emission limited between 0.4 and 1.8 μm
Spectroscopy SNR
Total figure error
8 nm RMS
Symmetric PSF
Contrast in Coronagraph
Starlight suppression
Inner working angle
Internal coronagraph
Outer working angle
Internal coronagraph
Starshade positioning
Starlight suppression
Areal density ()
Delta IVH
Falcon 9H
SLS Block 1
SLS Block 2
Telescope temperature
273–293 K
Thermal stability
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. PSF, point spread function; RMS, root-mean-square; SLS, space launch system; UVOIR, ultraviolet/optical/infrared; WFE, wavefront error.
Table 4.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed UVOIR Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Opticsa
Total surface error
RMS
Figure ()
RMS
Mid spatial (4–60 cpa)
RMS
High spatial (60 cpa to 100 μm/cyc)
RMS
Roughness ()
RMS
The specifications were based on a PSD slope [12,15]. cpa, cycles per aperture; RMS, root-mean-square.
Table 5.
Overview of the MFIR Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12,13–18,72]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Wavelength range
3.5–210 μm
Exoplanet detection
Aperture
Angular resolution and light collection
Performance
Diffraction limited at: 5 μm over 10 arcmin, 30 μm over 20 arcmin
Maximum angular resolution
Angular resolution
100 milliarcsec
Galaxy, star, and planet formation
Field of view
12 arcmin radius
All sky survey
Telescope temperature
, 10 K hot spots
Noise sources
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. IR, infrared; SNR, signal-to-noise ratio.
Table 6.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed MFIR Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Opticsa
Total surface error
175 nm RMS
Figure ()
RMS
Mid spatial (3–1,000 cpa)
Not specified
High spatial ()
RMS TIS
Note that the surface errors are half the wavefront errors [72,81]. cpa, cycles per aperture; RMS, root-mean-square; TIS, total integrated scatter.
Table 7.
Overview of Some Promising Substrate Materials and a Sampling of the Critical Characteristics to Meet the Requirements of the Future Space Telescopesa
Note that spin-cast mirrors have been used not in space telescopes but for ground-based observatories. Blank entries were not reported in the literature. SPO, silicon pore optics; SGO, slumped glass optics; CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion; ELZM, extreme light-weighted ZERODUR mirrors; CNC, computer numerically controlled; AWJ, abrasive water jet; CVD, chemical vapor deposition; CFRP, carbon fiber reinforced plastics.
Tables (7)
Table 1.
Overview of the X-Ray Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12–18]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Sensitivity
(0.5–2 keV, observed frame)
Survey of distant AGN
Effective area
at 1 keV,
Line spectroscopy and broadband spectrum
at 6 keV,
at 30 keV
Angular resolution
,
Detection of distant AGN mapping
10–20 arcsec
Field of view
(wide),
Black holes distribution cluster spectroscopy
(narrow)
Spectral resolution
at 6 keV,
Dynamics of cluster gas redshift of Fe line absorption line features
at 6 keV,
(0.3–1 keV)
Angle of polarization
1 deg/keV
Black hole spin
Stray light
rejection in 0.5–1.5 deg annular region
Eliminate unwanted images
Areal density
Launch vehicle
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. AGN, active galactic nuclei.
Table 2.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed X-Ray Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Optics [25–27]a
Total surface error
on-axis HEW
Figure ()
1.5 μm PV
Mid spatial (4–60 cpa)
slope errors
Roughness ()
RMS
cpa, cycles per aperture; HEW, half energy width; PV, peak to valley; RMS, root-mean-square.
Table 3.
Overview of the UVOIR Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12–18,39]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Primary aperture
Resolution, sensitivity, exoplanet yield
Wavefront error
35 nm RMS WFE
Diffraction limited at 500 nm
Wavefront stability
0.01 nm RMS over 10 min
Exposure time
Angular resolution
2.74 milliarcsec/pixel
Cosmic origins (UV)
Pointing stability
Starlight suppression
Stray light
Zodiacal dust emission limited between 0.4 and 1.8 μm
Spectroscopy SNR
Total figure error
8 nm RMS
Symmetric PSF
Contrast in Coronagraph
Starlight suppression
Inner working angle
Internal coronagraph
Outer working angle
Internal coronagraph
Starshade positioning
Starlight suppression
Areal density ()
Delta IVH
Falcon 9H
SLS Block 1
SLS Block 2
Telescope temperature
273–293 K
Thermal stability
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. PSF, point spread function; RMS, root-mean-square; SLS, space launch system; UVOIR, ultraviolet/optical/infrared; WFE, wavefront error.
Table 4.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed UVOIR Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Opticsa
Total surface error
RMS
Figure ()
RMS
Mid spatial (4–60 cpa)
RMS
High spatial (60 cpa to 100 μm/cyc)
RMS
Roughness ()
RMS
The specifications were based on a PSD slope [12,15]. cpa, cycles per aperture; RMS, root-mean-square.
Table 5.
Overview of the MFIR Space Optics Technology Needs to Meet the Science Goals of the Next Decade [7,12,13–18,72]a
Specification
Requirement
Justification
Wavelength range
3.5–210 μm
Exoplanet detection
Aperture
Angular resolution and light collection
Performance
Diffraction limited at: 5 μm over 10 arcmin, 30 μm over 20 arcmin
Maximum angular resolution
Angular resolution
100 milliarcsec
Galaxy, star, and planet formation
Field of view
12 arcmin radius
All sky survey
Telescope temperature
, 10 K hot spots
Noise sources
Each parameter is chosen by the specific science goals of the instrument system. IR, infrared; SNR, signal-to-noise ratio.
Table 6.
Overview of the Spatial Frequency Surface Specifications for Proposed MFIR Primary Mirrors That Will Meet the Science Requirements of the Next Generation of Space Opticsa
Total surface error
175 nm RMS
Figure ()
RMS
Mid spatial (3–1,000 cpa)
Not specified
High spatial ()
RMS TIS
Note that the surface errors are half the wavefront errors [72,81]. cpa, cycles per aperture; RMS, root-mean-square; TIS, total integrated scatter.
Table 7.
Overview of Some Promising Substrate Materials and a Sampling of the Critical Characteristics to Meet the Requirements of the Future Space Telescopesa
Note that spin-cast mirrors have been used not in space telescopes but for ground-based observatories. Blank entries were not reported in the literature. SPO, silicon pore optics; SGO, slumped glass optics; CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion; ELZM, extreme light-weighted ZERODUR mirrors; CNC, computer numerically controlled; AWJ, abrasive water jet; CVD, chemical vapor deposition; CFRP, carbon fiber reinforced plastics.
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